Comebacks don’t always work. Muhammad Ali came back, but was never as fast or pretty. Frank Sinatra did it several times, but his voice waned. For every stunning car from yesteryear that still retains its cool in fashionable style there’s a Lada Samara or an FSO Polonez (look it up).
And so it goes with fashion and appearance. Take a look at latest-hairstyles and you’ll enjoy a stroll through the past century as you gaze upon these lustrous locks. The ‘Modern Pompadour’, for example, could easily have existed in 1950s rock’n’roll USA. A ‘piecy’ fringe has the slight whiff of Madchester in the hair gel, and the numerous variations of the millennial teenies side-parting combo wouldn’t have looked out of place in the Roaring 20s. As with old-school hair goes clothing. The hipster movement has embraced tank-top jumpers, sandals, ironic t-shirts, trilby hats and tight-fitting jeans, among many other stylistic nuances and accessories.
‘Hipsterism’, which is really a way of thinking, buying and behaving more than how one dresses, is a driving force behind the whole vintage movement. But vintage isn’t only for the hipster; in fact most of us now grab a slice of yesteryear for an average jaunt out into town.
Vintage is cool, it’s classy, and it’s environmentally friendly as your vintage wear is not a newly-produced item so it’s likely to largely lack synthetic materials. Think about how many of these items are on display wherever you are, on the male or female form: polka dot dresses, braces, floral dresses and lace, ‘feline’ or just oversized sunglasses, handkerchiefs, cords, and even walking sticks.
We don’t even need to go that far backwards really – a decade or two will do. According to AndPop a whole host of 1990s-style trends are making a comeback, including the metallic outfits of the Spice Girls, the colour blocks of Fresh Prince, and grunge-style docs and chokers.
Even those items which are apparently cutting edge may be cut from an old cloth. While we might consider smartwatches a modern, nay future development, a glimpse at the strap design and casing actually screams retro, akin to the little plastic watches that we enjoyed in the 1960s and 70s. Last month Google launched 40 new Android Wear watch faces for its smartwatches, and while not quite screaming 70s or 80s there’s definitely a taste for retro chic, vectors and loud colour in several of the ideas.
Similarly, take a look at some of the designs on sale from manufacturers such as Daniel Wellington on Tic Watches, which have a certain simplicity and elegance. The pocket watch might seem like an anachronism, if you will, but even these elegant items are now regarded more as a status symbol than a timepiece. The retrieval of a curiously eccentric little face similar to that which may once have been brandished by a great- or great-great-grandfather is to be admired.
Watches aren’t the only jewellery making a comeback. According to Bonhams auctioneers the over-the-top, big and brash jewellery from the 1980s is surging in popularity, with buyers paying way over the odds for giant hoop earrings and sprung collar necklaces. Experts believe that the brash colours and designs sit equally at home in the day and at night, hence their popularity.
The conclusion is simple; those clothes, jewels, trinkets, and accessories at the back of the wardrobe or cupboard, with seemingly little value or future, are here now. They might not be back for long – in fact they might be out of style next year – but for the moment enjoy these little reminders of a time gone by.
